The basic problem of determining the position of one body relative to another without establishing contact between the bodies, or of determining the reciprocal positioning of the bodies, arises in various fields. The measured distances are used for determining the contours of the body with, for example, the aid of a computer, in the form of coordinates which are then delivered to a production machine for producing the measured body, or into an automatic drawing machine for producing a pictorial representation thereof. The results of the measurement can also be supplied to a regulating device making it possible to control a specific relative position of the two bodies with respect to each other during the movement thereof.
Radar processes, i.e., the use of reflected electromagnetic waves for detecting and locating objects, are known for the contactless measurement of distances. However, such methods are complicated and also suffer from certain deficiencies, for example, when one of the bodies has poor reflective characteristics. A practical use of the radar process is described in connection with an apparatus for winding conductors (Journal LeTrefile, 3/1981, page 97).